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Japanese and US forces to stage island war games

Japan's army and US Marines will conduct joint war games early next year simulating the retaking of an isolated island captured by an enemy -- the first exercise of its kind by the two militaries, a news report said yesterday.

An unspecified number of troops from Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force and the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in California will hold the exercise at a training ground on the outskirts of San Diego starting around Jan. 1, the Yomiuri newspaper said, quoting sources it did not identify.

It will be the first joint Japan-US war game premised on an invasion of an isolated island off Japan's southern main island of Kyushu, the newspaper said.

Under the scenario, the soldiers are to infiltrate the captured island by boat and retake it after exchanging fire with the enemy, the newspaper said.

PLANS

A Defense Agency spokesman, speaking on condition of anonymity in accordance with official practice, said the two sides have plans to conduct a war game by the end of March, but details, including the venue and the date, were still being coordinated.

The Yomiuri said the joint exercise is aimed at showing a military "presence" in small southwestern Japanese islands in view of China's military expansion in recent years.

Japan and China have been feuding for months over claims to undersea gas deposits in the East China Sea.

Japan wants China to halt drilling operations until an agreement can be worked out between the two countries. China says it is within its rights to develop the region's resources.

Although tension is high between the two east Asian economic giants, Japanese officials insist that Tokyo wants to resolve the differences through negotiations.

Under a mutual pact, about 50,000 US troops are currently stationed in Japan.
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